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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29116878">for a thousand summers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rozecrest/pseuds/rozecrest'>rozecrest</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Friends at the Table (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Secret Samol 2020, the ladies are gay and a lil repressed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:41:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,321</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29116878</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rozecrest/pseuds/rozecrest</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hella &amp; Adaire dance around each other, Adelaide &amp; Adaire get fancy, Hella &amp; Adelaide have a Talk and they all have a nice boat ride together.</p><p>Vignettes of soon-to-be wives coming together in Aubade. A starting place.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adaire Ducarte/Adelaide Tristé, Adaire Ducarte/Adelaide Tristé/Hella Varal, Adaire Ducarte/Hella Varal, Adelaide Tristé/Hella Varal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>for a thousand summers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this fic is a secret samol gift for @billymermays on twitter! i had a lot of fun re-listening to early spring episodes and listening to yearning music writing this :) hope you all enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s a beautiful day in Aubade. Like it always is, thinks Adaire with some resentment. It’s just the right level of warm and she can see the lush green grass of the hills sway just so in the perfect wind from her perch near the entrance of Ducarte's. </p><p>Adaire is doing one of her favorite activities: watching Hella and pretending she isn’t. Aubade looks good on Hella despite their shared reservations about it, and as much as Adaire valiantly tries not to catalog the differences, it’s impossible not to see. Hella’s burnished brown skin, rippling as she carries boxes of store stock, recovered from the months of dark winter with her days in the sun. Hella’s smile, dim some days but more and more present.</p><p>In those first few months, Hella would often go into Ducartes just to get away from the people of Aubade and their wary faces, or even worse, their forgiving ones. All the people she had killed and had formed a place in her guilt and her heart for years were now her neighbors. It made her chest ache to look at them sometimes, she had whispered to Adaire over late-night drinks once. The very next day Adaire had cleared out a space in the back room where she could sit in a soft chair and watch the swirling dark storm clouds over the waters. </p><p>Hella brings the boxes inside and starts to set them out at their proper places. She’s spent so much time in Ducartes that she doesn’t have to ask Adaire for a single clarification. When Hella sets herself to a task she gives it her all. Adaire joins her.</p><p>Hella’s arms flex like she’s reaching for her sword when she’s nervous. Adaire only knows this motion from a long winter of watching Hella train, under the guise of petting Kodiak by the fire. She did this so often that the big dog began coming to her as soon as Hella began to swing her sword, to her intense and quiet embarrassment, but no amount of half-hearted glares and muttering deterred him. </p><p>“What are you thinking about?” asks Hella suddenly.</p><p>“Kodiak,” Adaire half lies. “He was a good dog. I miss him.”</p><p>Hella nods thoughtfully. </p><p>“Things weren't always good out there. But it was nice to have someone who had your back through it all. Kodiak, I mean.”</p><p>Hella’s eyes are warm.</p><p>Adaire keeps sorting and steps up onto a stool to place a necklace on its high display shelf. She’s still thinking about Hella’s eyes so it’s no surprise that she stumbles, feet slipping and eyes clenched in anticipation of impact.</p><p>Hella swiftly reaches for her, splaying her hand on Adaire’s back. She can feel the warmth through her blouse and feels her fingers as they shift to steady her, gripping slightly. Adaire’s mind is very blank for several seconds. She steps off the stool as smoothly as she can manage and tries to keep her face neutral as she shivers when Hella’s hand slid off her back.</p><p>Hella is wearing Adaire’s favorite of her smiles, the one that makes her eyes wrinkle. Like the one she gave her when she caught her all that time ago. Hella gives her that smile often after they touch. Adaire tries not to think about it.</p><p>                                                                                                         --------------------</p><p>Hella’s in the back, has been for a while so she’s probably fallen asleep there. Adaire allows herself to linger on the thought of Hella asleep, eyes closed and face relaxed of the tension she still carries. Peaceful, red hair tangled around her face moving with her breath in-and-out, before realizing the more pressing thing at hand. Adelaide. All this time in Aubade and they’ve never actually been alone together, stilted conversations in group fishing trips excluded, with this many hours left before closing.</p><p>Adelaide is a hard woman to hate. She prickles at Hella’s nerves expertly in a way that was fascinating mostly because, despite her external protests, Adaire could tell Hella didn’t actually mind too much. She was always perfectly polished and dignified even when she was lounging ridiculously on her countertops pointedly not doing work. And beautiful, which was only somewhat easier to admit.</p><p>As if hearing her thoughts Adelaide looks up from the book she’s reading, one from Samol’s, and smiles at her. Adaire breaks eye contact and attempts to busy her hands. </p><p>“Adaire,” Adelaide says everyone’s name like she’s savoring the opportunity to say it. “We never get much alone time together, you and I.”</p><p>“I don’t know why we’d much need to,” said Adaire carefully. “You just,” She paused. ”Work here.”</p><p>She glances up now. Adelaide is across from her on the display table, but leaning in slightly, still smiling.</p><p>“Nice outfit,” Adaire says, for lack of anything else to say with Adelaide so close and steadily watching. She means for it to come out wry but it hit closer to genuine. It is a really nice outfit, a flowy yellow dress, a slight heel, thick curly hair peeking out from the sun hat she insists on wearing inside. She had taken off the half-cape Ducartes uniform hours ago as she often did.</p><p>“Thank you. Being trapped in paradise has its drawbacks, but being able to raid a God’s endless wardrobe certainly isn’t one of them.”</p><p>“Speak for yourself,” says Adaire</p><p>“I wouldn't dare not to.”</p><p>Adelaide cocks her head to the side a little. “You don’t like Samothes much, do you?”</p><p>“He’s fine,” says Adaire curtly. “I’ve talked business with him.”</p><p>“You never wear the clothes he gives us.”</p><p>That was true. The dress she had gotten on their first day in Aubade was beautiful and she looked good in it. Still, she had tucked it away and not worn it since.</p><p>Adaire shrugs. She doesn’t know how to explain that it had been just a little too warm, like the High Sun Days of her childhood. It wasn’t a good heat.</p><p>“Come out with me, tomorrow. You seem like someone who can appreciate fine clothes, I’d love to shop with you.”</p><p>“I have to be here tomorrow.”, Adaire points out.</p><p>“Hella can handle things here for a few hours. Aubade isn’t exactly the most demanding clientele. Everyone needs some time off, and I’m certain Hella would agree.”</p><p>Adaire eyes her. She seemed genuine. Conversations with Adelaide felt like a dance, one where you were two steps behind and barely avoiding trodding on toes. It was honestly refreshing.</p><p>“Sure. You’re paying.”</p><p>Money might as well have been worthless here but having the upper hand was important. Adelaide agrees, courteously, and the very next day they are walking through another perfect sunny day in Aubade together.</p><p>Adelaide is wearing a handsome combination of sleek red pants and a gold-buttoned shirt with wide sleeves that flowed elegantly as she led them into a shop. </p><p>“This is my favorite place.”</p><p>“Can’t imagine why,” says Adaire, eyeing the walls that shone with a luster like pearls. </p><p>Adelaide gives her another one of her gracious secretive smiles.</p><p>The morning flows. Adaire tries on outfit after outfit, learns how to match Adelaide's steps, and finds herself laughing often.</p><p>The final one is a collared red and white shirt with a pair of dark blue pants, a strangely curved hat, and nicely made brown boots. When she steps out in it, Adelaide’s eyes light up.</p><p>“This. This is the one.”</p><p>“You think?” asks Adaire. She taps her feet on the ground and the shoes make a satisfying click.</p><p>“Absolutely. You look stunning. Like it was made for you.”</p><p>The compliment sinks in. She feels good, and not just because of the new clothes.</p><p>“Thank you for today. You aren’t so bad, for a queen.”</p><p>Adelaide smiles. No secrets, just soft. </p><p>“I’m not a queen here, Miss Ducarte.”</p><p>Adelaide reaches for her and carefully smooths down her collar, fingers brushing Adaire’s neck just a little. She leans in and presses a cool kiss firmly on her cheek. Adaire can’t tell if she lingers. She feels dizzy anyway.</p><p>                                                                                                         -------------------</p><p>Hella is in her nook the back of Ducarte’s when Adelaide sweeps in carrying a tray of cut-up fruits of all types. It’s been a hard day, the kind where seeing the residents of Aubade feels too much to bear. </p><p>“Hella,” She says. “I heard you weren’t feeling too well so I brought you oranges and company.”</p><p>“I’m not really the type people want to be around when I’m in a bad mood.”</p><p>“Well, you’ve already killed me once,” says Adelaide, grinning. “What’s the worst that can happen?”</p><p>Hella feels her insides grow cold with guilt and then hot with pressure. Her mouth opens before she can stop it.</p><p>“How can you joke about that?” </p><p>It comes out loud and far more raw than she means it to and the regret floods her instantly. A familiar emotion, an old friend. Hella reaches to her hip instinctively. There’s no sword there as it’s been for years. She clenches her trembling hands at her side instead.</p><p>Adelaide is silent, watching with dark eyes.</p><p>“I still see it. In my dreams. I can hear the sound you made when I-.”</p><p>She cut herself off glaring at the ground so hard her vision blurs.</p><p>“I realized,” Adelaide says after a moment of silence. “Shortly after that, it had been a long time since someone had touched me like that. Being the empress of pearls with a goal so lofty meant I often didn't have the time for my own paltry wants. I won’t say I didn’t feel the pain of the blade when you killed me. Of course I did. But it was...there was more than that. Your hands. Your eyes.”</p><p>She huffs out a laugh. “I'm getting off track. You distract me, Hella. You’ve always been the brightest thing in the room. What I mean to say is, I see it in my dreams too. You’ve never done anything to me that I didn’t welcome.”</p><p>Adelaide takes her hand, coaxing it into opening, and rubs her thumb soft against it until the trembling stopped. She’s wearing a deep cut orange dress, and pulls Hella’s hand to where the scar peeks out amongst dark skin. </p><p>Hella inhales slowly and shakily. The scar is smooth under her fingers. She can feel Adelaide’s heartbeat drum faster against her palm.</p><p>“Do you understand?”</p><p>“Yeah. I understand.”</p><p>Adelaide pulls her close with a hand on her neck. They look at each other. Hella tries valiantly not to let her gaze drop. The hand keeps pulling until Hella’s head is tucked beneath Adelaide’s chin. She’s warm and smells of citrus. Hella burrows closer still, wrapping an arm around her, lips brushing her collarbone as Adelaide gives a shuddering sigh and melts down into her.</p><p>They stay there, holding each other, for a long time.</p><p>--------------------<br/>
They’re leaving soon, finally. </p><p>There’s energy in the air. Not just from the swirling lightning clouds above the sea that beckon them, but from the people in Aubade. For the first time, people will leave. Adaire is surprised at how many people come to Ducarte’s in the weeks leading up to her departure to wish her well. Her store, and by extension herself, had become a staple of the community and people actually seemed sorry to see her go. They might not be so kind if they knew she’d been the one messing with every wagon wheel she could get her hands on over the years, but then again it was Aubade. Maybe they would.</p><p>She’s on Hella’s boat, thinking about this when she realizes that this is the first time in all these years that she, Hella, and Adelaide have been alone on a boat trip together.</p><p>They should have done it sooner, honestly. It was nice. </p><p>Hella and Adelaide are playfully arguing over the best fruit to go with the drink when Adaire stands up and turns to face them. The two women stop and turn to her. </p><p>“When I was younger,” she begins, feeling slightly silly. “I ran with this crew that had a tradition. Before a big job, we would take something small from our last haul and throw it into the water. Not as a blessing, all of us were pretty jaded to that sort of thing. Just..for luck. I figure it can work for safe passage too.”</p><p>Hella is beaming delightedly at her like she always does when Adaire opens up and it encourages her. She reaches into the pocket she’d been fiddling with the whole trip and pulls out three pearls. </p><p>“Those are beautiful,” Adelaide exclaims softly. She looks touched like she hadn’t expected to receive one. Adaire gives her a little smile.</p><p>“They’re leftover from the fish you caught our second year here, Hella. I saved some after I made the bangles. I picked them special for each of you. I have one for Lem and Hadrian too, I'll give them theirs when we leave. Here.”</p><p>She gives Hella hers first. It’s a burnished, brassy color, almost red. She hands Adelaide hers next, it’s the shiniest. Adaire had gone back to that tailor shop and matched its luster to the walls there. Adaire shows them her own, small hard, and dull until she holds it up and it shines at the sun defiantly.</p><p>The three of them line up at the edge of the boat and throw their pearls. They spin in the air glittering in the sun as they arc downwards. Strangely, despite their different strengths and tossing from different spaces, the pearls seem to come together in the water at almost the same point.</p><p>“Weird,” mutters Adaire, getting on her tiptoes a bit and watching the waves crash around that spot.</p><p>She lets out a surprised noise as Hella wordlessly wraps an arm around her and tugs her close. Adelaide leans her head on Hella’s other shoulder.</p><p>Adaire closes her eyes and lets herself feel the warmth.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WIVES !!!<br/>do leave a comment if you liked!! and if you're curious, the outfit adaire and adelaide like the most was based off my giftee's lovely art of texan adaire! look at it here -&gt; t.ly/niUJ</p></blockquote></div></div>
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